Monthly Archives: December 2018

Do You Hear What I Hear? The Songs of Christmas
December 16: Hark! The Herald Angels Sing by Charles Wesley
These are the notes from a message offered Sunday, 12/16/18 at Trinity United Methodist Church, Sarasota Florida.

While we hold so much in common, each portion of the Christian family tree celebrates a different aspect of the greatness of God. What does the Methodist branch bring to the party?

An emphasis on the Journey of Faith, not just the moment of decision

An emphasis on God’s grace at work in every part of the journey of faith

Singing the faith

John and Charles Wesley were brilliant at helping persons understand what it means to be a follower of Jesus. They had a massive publishing business which catered to those who could read. For the uneducated, working poor, they helped them learn the faith by singing it. (It helped those who could read as well!)

As an aspiring poet and pastor, here’s a picture of me geeking out over Charles Wesley’s attic space and quill.

The one who put the faith to music was Charles Wesley, John’s younger brother. We had the chance to tour his home in Bristol England. The bottom floor contains a sunny music room. Charles’ children were accomplished musicians. The attic space was Charles’ study where he wrote his sermons and hymn texts. It wasn’t uncommon for Charles to come running into the house asking for his quill and parchment so he wouldn’t lose an idea.

Charles Wesley wrote between 6,000 – 7000 hymn texts, many of which we still sing today.

O For a Thousand Tongues to Sing

Christ the Lord is Risen Today

Hark! The Herald Angels Sing, which was written less than a year after his conversion.

Conversion? Wait a minute.

The Wesley boys grew up in a parsonage. Their father was a pastor and their mother homeschooled them in both academics and faith.

They studied theology at Oxford and started a holy club to try to live what Jesus taught.

They were ordained pastors and served as missionaries in Georgia.

And yet, both men experienced a conversion. Their head knowledge born of studying who God is, the Word of God, and ways of God, turned into a heart and soul relationship.

After returning to England, Charles taught English to Moravian Peter Böhler, who prompted Charles to look at the state of his soul more deeply. During May 1738, Charles began reading Martin Luther’s volume on Galatians while ill. He wrote in his diary, “I labored, waited, and prayed to feel ‘who loved me, and gave himself for me.'” He shortly found himself convinced, and journaled, “I now found myself at peace with God, and rejoice in hope of loving Christ.” Two days later he began writing a hymn celebrating his conversion.

And Charles kept on writing.

Below you will find the verses of Hark! The Herald Angels Sing with some of the scripture references. Some thoughts…

The text begins with an invitation for all people, all nations to join the angels in joyous and enthusiastic praise of the birth of Jesus Christ.

Notice the recurrence of the theme “rise”

Instead of describing the rest of the Christmas story, Wesley then begins to praise Jesus Christ by naming who He is. This is what praise is at it’s simplest. God you are… Christ, you are…

At the end of verse 2, Wesley describes both the Incarnation and the dual nature of Christ in just a few words

In verse 3, the repetition of the word “born” builds momentum while proclaiming what Christ accomplished

Born that we no more may die

Born to raise us from the earth (Christ descends that we may rise, death and resurrection, buried with Christ and raised to new life in baptism)

Born to give us second birth

Verse 4 is not often included in modern hymnals. The theme shifts from praising Christ to a prayer of response. Come Jesus. Make your home in me. Deliver me from the influence of evil. Let everyone who sees me see the image of God in me. Save me by your love.

There’s an old saying. If you stand in the middle of the garage, that doesn’t make you a car. Examine your heart and soul. Say yes to a real relationship with Jesus Christ.

Luke 2:8-14 (13-14) And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors!”

Joyful, all ye nations, rise, Join the triumph of the skies; With angelic hosts proclaim, “Christ is born in Bethlehem.” Hark! the herald angels sing, “Glory to the new-born King”

Psalm 67:4 Let the nations be glad and sing for joy, for you judge the peoples with equity and guide the nations upon earth.

Verse 2: Christ, by highest heaven adored.

Matthew 3:17 And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased.”

Christ, the everlasting Lord:

Colossians 1:15-17 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation; for in him all things in heaven and on earth were created, things visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or powers—all things have been created through him and for him. He himself is before all things, and in him, all things hold together.

Late in time behold Him come. Offspring of a virgin’s womb.

Isaiah 7:14 NKJ Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.

Veiled in flesh the Godhead see. Hail the incarnate Deity! Pleased as man with man to dwell, Jesus our Immanuel. Hark! the herald angels sing, “Glory to the new-born King.”

John 1:14 And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth.

Verse 3: Hail the heaven-born Prince of Peace!

Isaiah 9:6 For a child has been born for us, a son given to us; authority rests upon his shoulders; and he is named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Hail the Sun of righteousness! Light and life to all He brings, Risen with healing in His wings:

Malachi 4:2 But for you who revere my name the sun of righteousness shall rise, with healing in its wings. You shall go out leaping like calves from the stall.

Philippians 2:5-7 Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness.

Born that man no more may die; Born to raise the sons of earth; Born to give them second birth. Hark! the herald angels sing, “Glory to the new-born King.”

John 3:3 NKJ Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

John 11:25-26 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?”

Haggai 2:7 NKJ I will shake all nations, and they shall come to the Desire of All Nations, and I will fill this temple with glory,’ says the Lord of hosts.

Rise, the woman’s conquering seed, Bruise in us the serpent’s head;

Genesis 3:14-15 The Lord God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, cursed are you among all animals and among all wild creatures upon your belly you shall go, and dust you shall eat all the days of your life. I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will strike your head, and you will strike his heel.”

Adam’s likeness now efface, Stamp Thine image in its place: Final Adam from above, Reinstate us in Thy love. Hark! the herald angels sing, “Glory to the new-born King.”

1 Corinthians 15:45-49 Thus it is written, “The first man, Adam, became a living being”; the last Adam became a life-giving spirit. But it is not the spiritual that is first, but the physical, and then the spiritual. The first man was from the earth, a man of dust; the second man is from heaven. As was the man of dust, so are those who are of the dust; and as is the man of heaven, so are those who are of heaven. Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we will also bear the image of the man of heaven.

Prayer
Hallelujah to Jesus!
Born of a woman that we might be born again

Hallelujah to Jesus!
Struck by the full force of evil yet rising victorious,
that we might rise with him.

Hallelujah to Jesus!
Crushing Satan, sin, and death,
that we might know peace and the fullness of life.

Guard us, Anointed One, from every warring way

Deliver us, Liberating King, from every enticing falsehood

Lead us, Lord, to your wisdom and truth
May this grace birth faithfulness and innocence within us
May our new life delight you and honor you
May it better your world and draw many to your saving love. Amen

***********CLICK HERE for a pdf of the Christmas Song Devotional Readings.

The Christmas Story is full of singing. Mary sings. Zechariah sings. Simeon sings. The angels sing. Over the centuries we’ve continued to celebrate with songs of our own, songs born from the joy of Christ’s coming.

This holy season, to prepare our hearts again for the coming of Christ, we’ll reflect on the poetry of these meaningful songs. Some will be old friends. Others will be new. My prayer is that their beauty and power draw us closer to Jesus, the babe of Bethlehem, the Risen King. And that the grace of drawing near fulfills in us Christ’s power of new life.

Suggestions for Reflection on Each Song Lyric in the Christmas Devotion:

Find a quiet place to sit. Take a couple of deep breaths.

Read the song lyrics several times slowly, savoring the words.

Ask yourself:

What is the big idea?

Why is it important?

How does this truth connect with my life?

Have a conversation with God about this truth.

Invite God to use this truth to birth something new in you this holy season.

Additional Ideas:

Journal your reflections

Draw, paint, or create some other kind of art based on your reflections

Find a scripture or two which inspired the song or where brought to mind by the lyrics

Do You Hear What I Hear? The Songs of Christmas
December 9: O Little Town of Bethlehem by Phillips Brooks
Scripture References: Micah 5:2; Matthew 1:20-23
These are the notes from a message offered Sunday, 12/9/18 at Trinity United Methodist Church, Sarasota Florida.

Micah 5:2 (NRSV)
2 But you, O Bethlehem of Ephrathah, who are one of the little clans of Judah,
from you shall come forth for me one who is to rule in Israel,
whose origin is from of old, from ancient days.

Matthew 1:20-23 (NRSV)
20… an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” 22 All this took place to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet: 23 “Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel,” which means, “God is with us.”

History of O Little Town of Bethlehem
In 1868, Phillips Brooks (1835-1893), an Episcopal priest, wrote the beloved O Little Town of Bethlehem for the Sunday school children of his Philadelphia congregation. He was inspired by a horse ride he’d taken a few years earlier on Christmas Eve. He’d ridden from Jerusalem to Bethlehem to assist at the midnight service in the Church of the Nativity.

The lyrics are far more than a description of a sleeping Bethlehem on the first Christmas night. They offer the meaning of Christmas itself, God’s gift of our Savior Jesus Christ and our receiving that gift with thanksgiving and hope.

O Little Town of Bethlehem by Phillips Brooks
O little town of Bethlehem, how still we see thee lie;
Above thy deep and dreamless sleep the silent stars go by.
Yet in thy dark streets shineth the Everlasting Light;
The hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight.

For Christ is born of Mary, and gathered all above,
While mortals sleep, the angels keep their watch of wondering love.
O morning stars together, proclaim the holy birth,
And praises sing to God the King, and peace to all on earth!

How silently, how silently, the wondrous Gift is given;
So God imparts to human hearts the blessings of His heaven.
No ear may hear his coming, but in this world of sin,
Where meek souls will receive Him, still the dear Christ enters in.

O holy Child of Bethlehem, descend to us, we pray;
Cast out our sin, and enter in, be born in us today.
We hear the Christmas angels the great glad tidings tell;
O come to us, abide with us, our Lord Emmanuel!

Its Christmas time and I’m longing for hope and home.
Where are you home? Home is…

a place where you grow up, discover your calling and voice

a place of wonderful memories

where you spend a great deal of quality time

where you are safe, known, valued, belong

In A Chorus Line, three women each talk about their troubled families, then they sing about finding a home in ballet class.Up a steep and very narrow stairway to the voice like a metronomeUp a steep and very narrow stairway,
It wasn’t paradise, it wasn’t paradise, it wasn’t paradise but it was home

Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz says it over and over again- There’s No Place Like Home

Its Christmas time and I’m longing for hope and home
The world feels so far from home

so fast when home is a place of rest

so violent when home is sanctuary and peace

so divided when home is a place where we come together

so lonely when home is a place where they know your brokenness and still love you

We search for deep relationship in this world and often find disappointment, sometimes even abuse and betrayal.

Then there’s that voice.

You are not enough

You will never be enough no matter how much you own or achieve

If you reveal your true self you will be rejected; you will be abandoned and alone forever

My friends that is not the voice of God. It’s a voice from your past, or the voice of your inner critic, or the voice of the accuser. It’s the voice of sin and shame, not God.

Hear the Good News! God offers us another story, another voice!

Joseph’s dream of a home is shattered when his fiance announces she’s pregnant with the long-awaited Messiah. He decides to end the engagement quietly but is visited by an angel in his dream. The angel tells Joseph, “Mary will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” And that’s exactly what happens.

God is coming for us. This is Good News of Christmas. This is God’s story of hope and home.

When we place our trust in Jesus, when we say, “yes” to follow him, Jesus saves us from sin- what we have done, what we have left undone, broken state of creation itself. Jesus saves us from isolation, separation, brokenness, disintegration, shame.

Jesus doesn’t just save us from. Jesus also saves us for– for relationship, redemption (good from the bad), for hope and an eternal home.

Henri J.M. Nouwen, with John S. Mogabgab, in a Spirituality of Homecoming says:God is not in the distant heavens or in the hidden depths of the future, but here and now. God has pitched a tent among us. Even more than that, God has made a home in us so that we can make God’s home our home. We find our way home by following Jesus.

Story of Quinton’s Moore’s conversion after hearing the story of the Prodigal Sons

Its Christmas time and I’m longing for hope and homeWe find our way home by following Jesus

O holy Child of Bethlehem, descend to us, we pray;Cast out our sin, and enter in, be born in us today.We hear the Christmas angels the great glad tidings tell;O come to us, abide with us, our Lord Emmanuel!

***********CLICK HERE for a pdf of the Christmas Song Devotional Readings.

The Christmas Story is full of singing. Mary sings. Zechariah sings. Simeon sings. The angels sing. Over the centuries we’ve continued to celebrate with songs of our own, songs born from the joy of Christ’s coming.

This holy season, to prepare our hearts again for the coming of Christ, we’ll reflect on the poetry of these meaningful songs. Some will be old friends. Others will be new. My prayer is that their beauty and power draw us closer to Jesus, the babe of Bethlehem, the Risen King. And that the grace of drawing near fulfills in us Christ’s power of new life.

Suggestions for Reflection on Each Song Lyric in the Christmas Devotion:

Find a quiet place to sit. Take a couple of deep breaths.

Read the song lyrics several times slowly, savoring the words.

Ask yourself:

What is the big idea?

Why is it important?

How does this truth connect with my life?

Have a conversation with God about this truth.

Invite God to use this truth to birth something new in you this holy season.

Additional Ideas:

Journal your reflections

Draw, paint, or create some other kind of art based on your reflections

Find a scripture or two which inspired the song or where brought to mind by the lyrics

Do You Hear What I Hear? The Songs of Christmas
December 4: O Come, O Come, Emmanuel (9th Century Latin)
Theme: Longing for God’s Promised Messiah

The lyrics of the song O Come, O Come, Emmanuel are a rhyming, metrical paraphrase of the “O Antiphons”, which date back to at least the 500’s. Each one is a title for the Messiah connected to a scriptural prophecy/promise from Isaiah. The coming of Jesus the Christ fulfills the hopes and promises of the Old Testament as well as those we long for today. O come, O come, O come…

O Dayspring, Brightness of the light eternal and Sun of justice: Come and enlighten those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death.

O come, Desire of nations, bind all peoples in one the heart and mind
From dust, Thou brought us forth to life, deliver us from earthly strife
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.

O King of the Gentiles and their Desired One, Cornerstone that makes both one: Come, and deliver us whom You formed out the dust of the earth.

***********CLICK HERE for a pdf of the Christmas Song Devotional Readings.

The Christmas Story is full of singing. Mary sings. Zechariah sings. Simeon sings. The angels sing. Over the centuries we’ve continued to celebrate with songs of our own, songs born from the joy of Christ’s coming.

This holy season, to prepare our hearts again for the coming of Christ, we’ll reflect on the poetry of these meaningful songs. Some will be old friends. Others will be new. My prayer is that their beauty and power draw us closer to Jesus, the babe of Bethlehem, the Risen King. And that the grace of drawing near fulfills in us Christ’s power of new life.

Suggestions for Reflection on Each Song Lyric in the Christmas Devotion:

Find a quiet place to sit. Take a couple of deep breaths.

Read the song lyrics several times slowly, savoring the words.

Ask yourself:

What is the big idea?

Why is it important?

How does this truth connect with my life?

Have a conversation with God about this truth.

Invite God to use this truth to birth something new in you this holy season.

Additional Ideas:

Journal your reflections

Draw, paint, or create some other kind of art based on your reflections

Find a scripture or two which inspired the song or where brought to mind by the lyrics

Have you ever played the Telephone Game? A person whispers a sentence into a person’s ear, who then whispers it into another person’s ear, and so on and so on until the last person whispers it into the first person’s ear. What usually happens? It’s nothing like what the first said. As things get passed along, they get lost in translation

In our Preschool Chapel, I asked the children what Christmas is about. They responded presents, Santa, lights, reindeer, cookies… It makes sense. This is the dominant story in our society. Radio is full of Santa Baby and Holly Jolly Christmas. TV is full of Frosty and Rudolf. This same story of sentimentality, gift giving, and you better be good, goes on for months. We start hearing it around Halloween.

Our understanding of Christmas gets lost in translation. In the midst of so many other Christmas stories, how do we continue to know and share the Christian point of view of Christmas?

We read the scriptures and sing the story, but it can even happen to beloved Christmas Carols.

O Holy Night
O holy night! The stars are brightly shining,
It is the night of our dear Savior’s birth.
Long lay the world in sin and error pining,
Till He appear’d and the soul felt its worth.
A thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices,
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.
Fall on your knees! O hear the angel voices!
O night divine, O night when Christ was born;
O night divine, O night, O night Divine.

Led by the light of faith serenely beaming,
With glowing hearts by His cradle we stand.
So led by light of a star sweetly gleaming,
Here come the wise men from the Orient land.
The King of kings lay thus in lowly manger;
In all our trials born to be our friend.
He knows our need, to our weaknesses no stranger,
Behold your King! Before Him lowly bend!
Behold your King, Before Him lowly bend!

Truly He taught us to love one another;
His law is love and His gospel is peace.
Chains shall He break for the slave is our brother;
And in His name all oppression shall cease.
Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we,
Let all within us praise His holy name.
Christ is the Lord! O praise His Name forever,
His power and glory evermore proclaim.
His power and glory evermore proclaim.

How O Holy Night Came to Be

In Roquemaure France at the end of 1843, the organ in the church of St. John the Baptist the Evangelist was renovated

To celebrate the event, the parish priest asked Placide Cappeau, to write a Christmas poem which would be set to music by the renowned composer, Adolphe Adam

Placide Cappeau was a local poet, lawyer, and wine merchant. He was a free thinker with no interest in Christianity or any other religion

Cappeau accepted the commission anyway. To prepare he read the gospels, especially the Christmas story (Matthew 1-2, Luke 1-2, John 1).

Verse 1 O holy night! The stars are brightly shining, it is the night of our dear Savior’s birth

Verse 2 Led by the light of faith serenely beaming, with glowing hearts by His cradle we stand.

Verse 3 Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we, let all within us praise His holy name.

The sweet, soft and sentimental came with John Sullivan Dwight’s translation of Cappeau’s poem into English.

Cappeau read the Gospels, and this is what he found:

Mary the mother of Jesus, filled with the Holy Spirit, magnifying and rejoicing in God her Savior

for the Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name. His mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation. He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts. He has brought down the powerful from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly; he has filled the hungry with good things and sent the rich away empty. He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, (Luke 1:49-54)

Zechariah the father of John the Baptist, filled with the Holy Spirit, proclaiming

Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has looked favorably on his people and redeemed them. He has raised up a mighty savior for us in the house of his servant David, as he spoke through the mouth of his holy prophets from of old, that we would be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us. Thus he has shown the mercy promised to our ancestors and has remembered his holy covenant, the oath that he swore to our ancestor Abraham, to grant us that we, being rescued from the hands of our enemies, might serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before him all our days. (Luke 1:68-75)

Cappeau found the Christmas story powerful and prophetic and that’s what he wrote.

Though he never placed his trust in Jesus, Cappeau had a chance to because he heard the real story. He saw the truth of Christmas-

God coming in the flesh to deliver us, rescue us, and redeem us

God dying and rising again to break the chains of sin, shame, prejudice, and isolation

Especially powerful given O Holy Night was written in the age where many were fighting to end slavery

Especially powerful since the song was banned for a time because Cappeau was a nonbeliever and the composer, Adolph Adam was Jewish

Don’t let Christmas get lost in translation.
Take time to read the scriptures, sing songs of faith, set up a nativity. Claim and share this story – the story of God’s truth, grace, and hope. This is why we sing and celebrate the coming of Christ. This is why we bow before him in reverence and faith

***********CLICK HERE for a pdf of the Christmas Song Devotional Readings.

The Christmas Story is full of singing. Mary sings. Zechariah sings. Simeon sings. The angels sing. Over the centuries we’ve continued to celebrate with songs of our own, songs born from the joy of Christ’s coming.

This holy season, to prepare our hearts again for the coming of Christ, we’ll reflect on the poetry of these meaningful songs. Some will be old friends. Others will be new. My prayer is that their beauty and power draw us closer to Jesus, the babe of Bethlehem, the Risen King. And that the grace of drawing near fulfills in us Christ’s power of new life.

Suggestions for Reflection on Each Song Lyric in the Christmas Devotion:

Find a quiet place to sit. Take a couple of deep breaths.

Read the song lyrics several times slowly, savoring the words.

Ask yourself:

What is the big idea?

Why is it important?

How does this truth connect with my life?

Have a conversation with God about this truth.

Invite God to use this truth to birth something new in you this holy season.

Additional Ideas:

Journal your reflections

Draw, paint, or create some other kind of art based on your reflections

Find a scripture or two which inspired the song or where brought to mind by the lyrics

Hail to the Lord’s Anointed by James Montgomery
Hail to the Lord’s Anointed, Great David’s greater Son!
Hail in the time appointed, His reign on earth begun!
He comes to break oppression, To set the captive free;
To take away transgression, and rule in equity.

He comes with succor speedy to those who suffer wrong;
To help the poor and needy, and bid the weak be strong;
To give them songs for sighing, their darkness turn to light,
Whose souls, condemned and dying, are precious in his sight.

He shall come down like showers upon the fruitful earth;
Love, joy, and hope, like flowers, spring in his path to birth.
Before him on the mountains, shall peace, the herald, go,
And righteousness, in fountains, from hill to valley flow.

To him shall prayer unceasing and daily vows ascend;
His kingdom still increasing, a kingdom without end.
The tide of time shall never His covenant remove;
His name shall stand forever; that name to us is love.

Prayer:
Reign and Rain down, Glorious One
Salvation flows from your coming
Living water to our desert
to our frail clay
to our dust

Creation flows from you
New life springing up
Hope and wholeness
Budding and blooming in our wasteland

Let all the earth drink of you
The fullness of your unfailing love
Flood us and fill us
That we may carry this great grace as it carries us

Additional Resources:

Isaiah 42:16
I will lead the blind by a road they do not know, by paths they have not known I will guide them. I will turn the darkness before them into light, the rough places into level ground. These are the things I will do, and I will not forsake them.

Jeremiah 23:5-6
The days are surely coming, says the Lord, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. In his days Judah will be saved and Israel will live in safety. And this is the name by which he will be called: “The Lord is our righteousness.”

Psalm 72:1-7
Give the king your justice, O God, and your righteousness to a king’s son. May he judge your people with righteousness, and your poor with justice. May the mountains yield prosperity for the people, and the hills, in righteousness. May he defend the cause of the poor of the people, give deliverance to the needy, and crush the oppressor.

May he live while the sun endures, and as long as the moon, throughout all generations. May he be like rain that falls on the mown grass, like showers that water the earth. In his days may righteousness flourish and peace abound until the moon is no more.

Luke 4:16-19
When he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, he went to the synagogue on the sabbath day, as was his custom. He stood up to read, and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written:

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”

Excerpt from History of Hymns: “Hail to the Lord’s Anointed” by C. Michael Hawn
Montgomery began writing poetry at age 10, inspired by the hymn of the Moravians, the same group that inspired John Wesley. Despite flunking out of school at age 14, Montgomery found a job in 1792 at a radical weekly newspaper, the Sheffield Register. He assumed the leadership of the paper not long after when the previous editor fled the country fearing persecution for his politics.

At this point, Montgomery changed the name of the paper to the Iris and served for 31 years as editor, during which he was a tireless supporter of social justice. He was jailed twice for his radical views, using the time in prison to write poetry.

***********CLICK HERE for a pdf of the Christmas Song Devotional Readings.

The Christmas Story is full of singing. Mary sings. Zechariah sings. Simeon sings. The angels sing. Over the centuries we’ve continued to celebrate with songs of our own, songs born from the joy of Christ’s coming.

This holy season, to prepare our hearts again for the coming of Christ, we’ll reflect on the poetry of these meaningful songs. Some will be old friends. Others will be new. My prayer is that their beauty and power draw us closer to Jesus, the babe of Bethlehem, the Risen King. And that the grace of drawing near fulfills in us Christ’s power of new life.

Suggestions for Reflection on Each Song Lyric in the Christmas Devotion:

Find a quiet place to sit. Take a couple of deep breaths.

Read the song lyrics several times slowly, savoring the words.

Ask yourself:

What is the big idea?

Why is it important?

How does this truth connect with my life?

Have a conversation with God about this truth.

Invite God to use this truth to birth something new in you this holy season.

Additional Ideas:

Journal your reflections

Draw, paint, or create some other kind of art based on your reflections

Find a scripture or two which inspired the song or where brought to mind by the lyrics

Noel by Chris Tomlin, Ed Cash, and Matt Redman
Love incarnate, Love divine
Star and angels gave the sign
Bow to babe on bended knee
The Savior of humanity
Unto us a Child is born
He shall reign forevermore

Noel! Noel!
Come and see what God has done
Noel! Noel!
The story of amazing love
The light of the world given for us
Noel!

Son of God and Son of man
There before the world began
Born to suffer, born to save
Born to raise us from the grave
Christ the everlasting Lord
He shall reign forevermore

Noel! Noel!
Come and see what God has done
Noel! Noel!
The story of amazing love
The light of the world given for us
Noel!

Prayer:
Hallelujah to Jesus!
Light of the World
Grace Made Flesh
Fully Human, Fully Divine
Humble Savior, King of Kings
The most marvelous mystery of God’s
Unending, Ultimate, Unconditional Love

Come, Lord Jesus, Come

Additional Resources:

Isaiah 9:6-7(NRSV)
For a child has been born for us, a son given to us; authority rests upon his shoulders; and he is named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. His authority shall grow continually, and there shall be endless peace for the throne of David and his kingdom. He will establish and uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time onward and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.

Revelation 22:12-13 (NRSV)
Jesus said, “See, I am coming soon; my reward is with me, to repay according to everyone’s work. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.”

John 3:16-17 (NRSV)
For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.

***********CLICK HERE for a pdf of the Christmas Song Devotional Readings.

The Christmas Story is full of singing. Mary sings. Zechariah sings. Simeon sings. The angels sing. Over the centuries we’ve continued to celebrate with songs of our own, songs born from the joy of Christ’s coming.

This holy season, to prepare our hearts again for the coming of Christ, we’ll reflect on the poetry of these meaningful songs. Some will be old friends. Others will be new. My prayer is that their beauty and power draw us closer to Jesus, the babe of Bethlehem, the Risen King. And that the grace of drawing near fulfills in us Christ’s power of new life.

Suggestions for Reflection on Each Song Lyric in the Christmas Devotion:

Find a quiet place to sit. Take a couple of deep breaths.

Read the song lyrics several times slowly, savoring the words.

Ask yourself:

What is the big idea?

Why is it important?

How does this truth connect with my life?

Have a conversation with God about this truth.

Invite God to use this truth to birth something new in you this holy season.

Additional Ideas:

Journal your reflections

Draw, paint, or create some other kind of art based on your reflections

Find a scripture or two which inspired the song or where brought to mind by the lyrics